Strengths and Weaknesses in Technology

As an educator as well as personally, I use technology on a daily basis. I am not afraid of being exposed to new technologies and in fact, truly enjoy having my students share new technologies with me. I consider it a strength of mine that I encourage my students to use technology to share their knowledge with others. Other strengths of mine are Powerpoint and Word. I became fairly proficient with a Promethean board and document camera on my last campus. I enjoyed exploring the accompanying technology with my students. There are so many sites online for students to explore their own creativity, so I encourage my students to use safe online options when it is appropriate for the task they are given.

As a librarian, I plan to continue to explore online resources for my students and their teachers. I would like to be a resource and a cheerleader for technology on my campus. I am not afraid to “play” online to find something that will help enhance the learning experience.

I still have a great deal to learn where technology in education and the library are concerned. During my 9 year career in education, my access to technology in the classroom has been quite varied. As a result of the access (or lack thereof) to technology on the most recent campuses, I have gotten stuck in a rut. I am not familiar with many of the technology resources that seem to have the strongest pull for students.

As a librarian, I plan on attending technology professional development that is offered through my campus or district. I know that budgets are tight, but I feel staying abreast of resources is a necessity in the library. I have always included professional development in my own personal budget so I plan to continue to do that as a librarian. I plan on seeking a library position in Chicago. I am not familiar with the types of professional development that is available in Illinois but I am excited to know that I will be on ALA’s home turf. While teaching in Texas, I attended the TCEA conference for 5 years and learned a ton. I paid to attend TCEA myself and will do the same as a librarian, given the conference or training opportunity.

When I become a librarian, I also plan to align myself with the campus technology coordinators or experts. In my experience, these people are the best resources on the campus. I would also like to develop close relationships with any new teachers on campus. Teachers who are new to the profession are usually familiar with new technologies in education. While familiarizing these new staff members with what the media center has to offer, I can be learning from them.I am not afraid of technology and am excited about exploring the technological avenues that go hand and hand with being a librarian. As a librarian, I hope to utilize my strengths and to constantly be aware of and willing to work on my weaknesses. Growth is important in any profession, but I believe it is especially important for people in the education field. I can not be responsible for educating the adults of the future if I do not continue to educate myself.